Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#66: Ready, Set, Go!

It’s almost November, and for many writers around the world that means the start of National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. This wild challenge dares you to commit to writing a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days!

It’s an impressive feat, but it’s hardly the only way to exercise your writing muscles. If you like your writing in smaller doses but still want to build up the habit, today I’m going to challenge you to commit to writing a story from one prompt every week in November! (If you already do that, try for two, three, or even all five.)

To get you started, this week we’ll be focusing on stories all about challenging yourself. Whether it’s running a marathon, finally writing that novel, or just making it through a tough personal situation, challenge is what consistently pushes us to grow into our best selves.

And if you are giving novel writing a try, here are a few resources to help you along:

What Is NaNoWriMo? And How to Win in 2020
Join Reedsy’s NaNo Squad (with weekly live write-ins!)
Crafting a Novel Opening (workshop replay)
How to Write a Novel

This week's prompts

Start your story with one character telling another, “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Novel – 132 stories

Halfway through a fierce competition, your character is given the opportunity to cheat their way to victory: do they take it?

Short Story – 52 stories

Write about a character who makes a dramatic life change to pursue a goal they’ve secretly always wanted.

Novel – 120 stories

Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Adventure – 145 stories

Write about a character who’s finally on the verge of achieving their lifelong dream.

Dramatic – 135 stories

Stories

“To Seattle on a Greyhound” by Liz G

Submitted to Contest #66

Maggie’s heart was pounding as she walked quickly down the street, keeping her head down and her hood up. The backpack that held all she now had in the world felt like a bag of rocks. It was drizzling, and the sky was grey. Appropriate. That was what Maggie’s life looked like, here. This was what she was leaving. Her beloved, scuffed black Converse beat a rhythmic pattern against the concrete. Her choppy blond hair brushed her shoulders, a gentle October breeze stirring up the limp locks. Impulsive, her stepmother had said, after spe...

Read story

“His name was Professor Alexandre Ezo Beaumont” by Joyful Joel Zemba

Submitted to Contest #66

The eloquence of the man was that admirable thing, like that of music that gives sudden tingles under the skin. It was beautiful, and more stunning than his face, even being more pronounced than his chin. It was romantic when he spoke, and when he did so, it was boldly and orderly. There was something in his voice that suggested aristocracy and certainly intellect. In this world, he was an espion or as is translated from that middle French Spy. This is to say that, the man was alien to this world, and had one true mission: to obtain kno...

Read story

“Dreaming Awake” by Greg Gorman

Submitted to Contest #66

Light on. Light off. Walk to the bathroom. Walk to the kitchen for a glass of water. Pick up the phone. Check messages. Put phone down. Close eyes. Tell yourself you’re tired. Open your eyes and realize you’re not. Liz laid in her bed. Her eyes were wide open, but she couldn’t see anything in the dark bedroom. She looked at her phone again. It was 3:42. She closed her eyes. Brian was snoring on his side of the bed. He wasn’t worried. If he was, it wasn’t affecting his sleep. Liz turned to her side. She closed her eyes and took a deep breat...

Read story

“Second Chances ” by Brittley Fisher Bose

Submitted to Contest #66

The brown seat that she was sitting in was cold and more than a little uncomfortable. The dark lighting of the waiting room was not much better, and whatever talk show was playing quietly on the television did not seem interesting in the least. Angie Hartwell was a very busy woman who just moved to Delaware from Los Angeles. The difference in the states of California and Delaware were like night and day. In California, there was always something to do at night, but in the first state, it seemed like the nightlife stopped around one in t...

Read story

“The Reapers” by B O

Submitted to Contest #66

He had finally managed to capture her. He slumped against the stony wall in this forgotten cave catching his breath as her voice carried with the echo. A small wooden ship sinks about a hundred meters from the shore. Half of it is on fire. The sun sets in gold in front of them. When the ball of light hits the horizon, it spreads like oil in water. Below, the depleted men clad in armor slowly start to creep onto the shore. Their steel boots sinking into the wet sand like anchors. “Quiet, Luna…” he whispered. “They’ll hear you.” “T...

Read story

“Strange Attachments” by Rena Mistinguett

Submitted to Contest #66

She heard her email alert ding. The latest message in the inbox held one attachment. When her eyes met the magical unopened box on the screen Hazel’s heart raced, feeling something she hadn’t felt in years and years. Excitement. Pure raw giddy excitement. She liked this feeling, she missed it. Hazel thought about how close she was to finally laying her eyes, her feet, her being on the land she always wanted to meet. She double clicked the box. There was the magic ticket. The place, the p...

Read story

“mr.thompsons sweets n treats” by GeorgeAnne Andrews

Submitted to Contest #66

mr.thompson's will stated that you mya thompson inherit sweets n treats mam... mam... im sorry he gave me a bakery? yes mam it states right here in his will mya looks at the will in disbelief her dad mr.thompson and her had never been close in fact they hadn't talked in years. mam if you could sign here mya snapped back into reality and quickly signed the papers and rushed out of the office myas mom and dad had gotten a divorce when she was young, her mom won shared custody of her so she only ever saw her dad once a...

Read story

“Hidden Life” by John Jenyo

Submitted to Contest #66

Where do I start? Okay, I'm a boy showered with love and care by all around me. While growing up, I see my self born will a lot of luck. I believed that no matter what, I will succeed without putting in the necessary work. Although, I work hard but I relied on that feeling of luck. At age 5, I was matured to begin primary school education. Upon meeting people, who I haven't seen before and also a tough looking female teacher, I cried and begged to go back home to where I will be in my comfort zone. What surprised me is seeing other k...

Read story

“Act of Freedom” by Dorothy Zhang

Submitted to Contest #66

If you have the talent and the mind to join us, this will be your chance to achieve your dream… The words of the group of performers echoed in her head as fifteen-year-old Julia gazed at the show poster that they had sent. The group of travelling performers, who came once every season to their village, putting on shows of fantastical stories for the children, has, for the first time in twenty years, invited people to join them! Ever since she was little, Julia always loved their shows. The sight of the actors performing—their passion, their...

Read story

“Jane's Awakening” by Lisa Zaabu

Submitted to Contest #66

It’s the first Monday back at the hospital after Jane’s first vacation at her new job. It’s actually Wednesday, but Jane works shift work and Wednesday starts her workweek. Also, Jane has been at her job for six and a half months, slowly accruing time off. The hospital lights are sterile and uninviting after two weeks in the woods of the Adirondacks. “Good morning, Jane! How was your vacation? You won’t believe the patients we had while you were gone! Have you talked to, Mike, yet?” asked Kristen, Jane’s coworker that is too talkative this ...

Read story

“Same old fight, but worse” by Milán S.S

Submitted to Contest #66

Bags? filled with things I most certainly don’t need. Car? same old junk I’ve had since I turned eighteen. Equipment? all loaded and hidden under the back seats of the car. I’m finally going away, about to start a new life far from my family and friends, please note the sarcasm. There’s only one stop to make on my way, Alissa’s house. We’ve never been only friends, and now don’t even like each other, but for some messed up reason we are together in this. “Are you getting in or what?” I yelled from the driver's seat. She rolled her eyes, as s...

Read story

“Six by Eight” by A H

Submitted to Contest #66

I’ve been sentenced and fined; it’ll be a three months stay, I’ll pay a fortune to Uncle Sam, plus probation. Two plump Police Officers escorted me from the municipal courtroom into a freshly polished gray marble hallway where we waited for the elevator operator to accompany us inside a cramped lift. The operator hovered above a little stool in the corner. He latched a squeaky metal gate, pulled a stiff lever, and an outer door folded to a close like an accordion. We shimmied our way up a couple flights. I could barely make out the weathered...

Read story

“Tracy's Child” by Mehrun Shah

Submitted to Contest #66

"Please! Please I am begging you..." "Begging is not freeing your Mom, Harry. You have my word. Your Mom is safe in your house, right before me, she is sitting on the kitchen chair, she cant say hello though." Chuckles from the other side sent chills down his spine. How did he get stuck in this mess in the first place! "Come on, Mr. Toler. This is the last phase of our little 'competition' here. Just one more round, one more phase, and then you get your little prize, your good old precious 'Mommy' that is." And then there was a storm of more...

Read story

“Taper” by Nihil Infolane

Submitted to Contest #66

“I'm going to put your life in a box, and put that box in a candle. And the wick will run through all your body, like stuffing on a bear. The first of you who burns through the wick and the candle, they will live. Yes. And the rest of you, having become worms in my eyes, will die and line the earth with your abnormal bodies. When there is not a single flame alight, the game will end.” That's what the magician said, that day, to all of us. The words that changed it all. And like that, she lit someone and vanished, leaving us to our ow...

Read story

“Restitution” by Chiamaka Obinna-Chukwu

Submitted to Contest #66

I look to the sand-clock tensely. It's almost half empty. Think halfway full, Bernice. I mentally smack my palm against my forehead in silent chastisement. I can’t be a walking box of pessimism while attempting to combat pessimism itself. I’ll never win that way. A darker thought still challenges the optimistic counsel, and I scoff aloud. Who is to say that I'm combating pessimism anyway? That's awfully right-thinking of me. I also can't afford to be totally rid of my despair, not when I'm not yet entirely sure if life itself is not, ind...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

584

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 22:59 - Nov 06, 2020 EST

Won by David G. 🏆

Title: Mahalo King Cod Filet

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢